The use of the bar code, or Universal Product Code, which was created

in choice (E), there is a typo. The word "some" is missing here. The original from OG is given bellow.

(E) bar codes have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974

Bunuel

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Edited. Thank you.

Sentence analysis :

The use of the bar code, or Universal Product Code, which was created in part to enable supermarkets to process customers at a faster rate, has expanded beyond supermarkets to other retail outlets and have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974.

- the use of bar code - has expanded and have become - SV error.
- it is referring to "use of bar code", where as it should have been bar code itself.

(A) have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974 - errors as defined

(B) has become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when they were first introduced in 1974 - they is not right, they referring to bar code - not right

(C) have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when first introduced in 1974 - first intrduced what - use of bar code - wrong

(D) has become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when the bar code was first introduced in 1974 - ok

(E) bar codes have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974

The concepts that are tested here include SVA, Pronouns and Parallelism.

We can first use SVA and Parallelism to find a foothold in this question. By the time we get to the underlined part of the sentence that begins with ‘have become’ both SVA and Parallelism are flouted.

The previous portion of the sentence says ‘has expanded’. Since it is not underlined, we can go ahead and look at the options vertically to find an option that begins with ‘has’ – why? So that it maintains parallelism and is consistent with the subject.

(A) have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974

(B) has become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when they were first introduced in 1974

(C) have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when first introduced in 1974

(D) has become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when the bar code was first introduced in 1974

(E) bar codes have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974

Eliminate Options A and C. E has a different beginning. It’s definitely breaking parallelism. Eliminate Option E.

Now we need to decide between Options B and D.

B has the pronoun ‘they’ which is ambiguous. We don’t need any more ammo to eliminate this option.

Option D is the best choice here.

Hope this helps!

803. The use of the bar code, or Universal Product Code, which was created in part to enable supermarkets to process customers at a faster rate, has expanded beyond supermarkets to other retail outlets and have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974.
Meaning:

The use of the bar code, or Universal Product Code we are talking about use of bar code/UPC
which was created in part to enable supermarkets to process customers at a faster rate Which = UPC or bar code
Was = verb = singular for singular subject bar code
Subject -verb pair present in the which/prepositional clause
has expanded beyond supermarkets to other retail outlets Has expanded = singular present perfect verb for singular subject “ The use”. Present perfect as bar code was developed in past but the use of it still valid in present
and have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition And = connector
So subject “the use” has two verb
1. Has expanded
2. have become = plural= incorrect. We need singular verb for this
when it was first introduced in 1974. “when” a time marker to show opposition was there when it was launched initially.
“it” = singular bar code

(A) have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974
SV pair doesn’t match.

(B) has become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when they were first introduced in 1974
“they” is incorrect. Need singular “it” for singular “the bar code”

(C) have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when first introduced in 1974
SV pair doesn’t match

(D) has become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when the bar code was first introduced in 1974
Correct
(E) bar codes have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974

Hello,
According to me, "Use of bar code" is subject not only "Use", because use cannot be accepted so it is not the subject. Also, it is not compulsory that the subject need to be a single word, it can be a phrase too, just like in this case.
I hope this helped.

Miles to go before I sleep

A. “The use…has expanded…and have become…” No.
B. “The use…has expanded…and has become…” Yes.
a. “they” has no clear antecedent; “the use” – singular; “of the bar code,” which in a prep phrase….is also singular
C. “The use…has expanded…and have become…” No.
D. “The use…has expanded…and has become…” Yes.
E. “The use…has expanded…and bar codes have…” seems off – needs parallel structure to match “has expanded”
a. Clear error – bar codes have become…despite…when it…”

that was a easy elimination....

The use of the bar code, or Universal Product Code, which was created in part to enable supermarkets to process customers at a faster rate, has expanded beyond supermarkets to other retail outlets and have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974.

(A) have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974

(B) has become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when they were first introduced in 1974

(C) have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when first introduced in 1974

(D) has become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when the bar code was first introduced in 1974 CORRECT

(E) bar codes have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974

In addition to E, the answer represents Run-On sentence. Two ICs are linked by conjunction "and" without comma.

The use (subject)… has expanded (verb)… and (parallel marker) has become (verb)…

B and D stay

D is preferable to B because the use of BAR CODE instead of THEM makes D much sheerer than B.
Additionally, (THEM) might be referring to supermarkets, which for sure were not introduced in 1974.

chetan2u

Thank you for your helpful reply.

To clarify my understanding of the correct answer, can't you argue that "has become" is redundant? Wouldn't using "is" avoid the redundancy?
Also, isn't "first introduced" redundant? Wouldn't saying "was introduced" make more sense, assuming that it is unlikely it was introduced many times throughout history because introduced means bought into operation for the first time.

I struggle with redundancy on the GMAT, because I see many explanations on GMATClub rule off incorrect SC answers for being redundant. Although Choice D is the BEST answer here among the choices, some parts do still seem redundant. Thank you again.

Hey woohoo921

Happy to answer your questions on choice D.

Choice D: The use of the bar code, or Universal Product Code, which was created in part to enable supermarkets to process customers at a faster rate, has expanded beyond supermarkets to other retail outlets and has become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when the bar code was first introduced in 1974.




"has become" vs "is":

Shift and Conflict in Meaning: The verb "is" conveys a fact limited to the present. So, when we say "The use of the bar code is readily accepted despite some initial opposition when the bar code was first introduced in 1974" we create a conflict in meaning. How can the use of the bar code be readily accepted when there was some initial opposition? The fact that there was some initial opposition implies that earlier it wasn't readily accepted. The acceptance has grown over time. There has been a transition in its level of acceptance. Hence, we must use a verb that conveys this change of state. So, "has become" is not only not redundant, it's also essential to the meaning of the sentence.

"first introduced" vs "introduced":

Meaning Analysis: Although you're right that "introduced" means "brought into operation for the first time", this is NOT the only meaning of the word "introduced". As per meanings 9 and 10 in the Oxford Dictionary, "introduced" also means "to put something into something". So, 'first' is not automatically implied by the word "introduced" in certain meanings.

That said, in this context, there is an important clue you've missed. The sentence says that "the use of the bar code has expanded beyond supermarkets to other retail outlets". So, clearly, haven't there been multiple introductions of the bar code...first in supermarkets, and then in retail outlets? If this is clearly the case, doesn't it make sense to say "first introduced in 1974" to make it clear that we're talking about the first time the bar code was used anywhere?

To conclude, no, these expressions are not redundant. Words/phrases/expressions are considered redundant only when they repeat identical information. Neither of the above classifies as identical information. In order to master this ability to spot redundancy, you must strengthen your ability to analyze meaning closely.


I hope this helps.

Happy Learning!

Abhishek

Thank you so much for this thorough explanation! To follow-up, would the use of "is" be correct in this example if you paired it was a change of state such as "now" --> "is now"?

Hey woohoo921

Yes, that would work. "Now" would certainly imply the change of state, and, since these are verb phrases of two independent clauses fused into one, we can change the tense from present perfect (has expanded) to simple present (is).

So, yes, that would work just fine.

Hope this helps.

Happy Learning!


Abhishek

The use of the bar code, or Universal Product Code, which was created in part to enable supermarkets to process customers at a faster rate, has expanded beyond supermarkets to other retail outlets and have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974.

here the topic tested are :- Subject-verb Agreement , Parallelism , Pronoun.

SUBJECT = The use of the bar code (Singular Subject)
VERB- "have become " (plural verb)
According to the rule of Subject verb agreement the subject and verb should agree in number
they both should be either singular or plural.


(A) have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974.Wrong.
here the verb is plural which is wrong as the subject is singular.

(B) has become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when they were first introduced in 1974. Wrong
here when we replace the pronoun they with the entire sentence the sentence becomes unclear and grammatically wrong
pronoun = they
word it referring to = the use of barcodes

NEW SENTENCE:-
has become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when the use of barcodes were first introduced in 1974. Wrong


(C) have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when first introduced in 1974. Wrong
here the verb is plural which is wrong as the subject is singular.

(D) has become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when the bar code was first introduced in 1974.
we cant find any error in this sentence lets hold on to this sentence.

(E) bar codes have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974. Wrong
here the verb is plural which is wrong as the subject is singular.
Also there is an error of parallelism here.


so therefore D is the correct option.

Hope this helps,
Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

The use of the bar code, or Universal Product Code, which was created in part to enable supermarkets to process customers at a faster rate, has expanded beyond supermarkets to other retail outlets and have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974.

(A) have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974

(B) has become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when they were first introduced in 1974

(C) have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when first introduced in 1974

(D) has become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when the bar code was first introduced in 1974

(E) bar codes have become readily accepted despite some initial opposition when it was first introduced in 1974

Here the subject is 'use' which is singular, hence options A, C &E are out. Left are options B & D out of which B also can be elimininated as 'they' in second part of sentence in option B is referring to plural, which is here bar code which is singular, hence only D is left only. However , if suppose B also have mentioned it then what would be the final option?

It will be again D. it is due to in option D, in later part of the sentence after comma, the subject is bar code which is not mentioned in option B, Since at the start of the sentence, the subject is 'use' hence it/they can't make sense refererring back to it. Hence we have to use the subject 'bar code' again.
However, if in the first part of sentence, the subject were 'bar code', then in the later part of the sentence use of 'it' would work.